10 Smokin' Barbecue Festivals

Find a celebration of all things BBQ to attend this summer

There's no better time to chow down on the likes of pulled pork sandwiches, hamburgers and perfectly grilled pork shoulder than at a summer BBQ event—guaranteed to be packed with the best "pitmasters" ready and willing to serve up delicious mounds of meat to festival goers. From New York City's popular barbecue block party to Virginia's bluegrass and BBQ festival, get the details on 10 of the biggest and best cook-offs around the country.

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It's a Smokin' Good Thing

The city of Tecumseh, Oklahoma, is home to the state's best BBQ event that took place on Friday, June 10th and Saturday, June 11th. The two-day festival revolved around three BBQing contests—a professional event decided by Kansas City Barbeque Society-certified judges, a people's choice event, where the public did the tasting and judging and a backyard event. The four cook-off categories were chicken, ribs, pork shoulder and beef brisket. Visit SmokinThang.com for more information.

Big Apple Barbecue Block Party

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This annual New York City event fired up on June 11th and 12th in Madison Square Park to prove, once again, that city-style BBQ boasts as much culinary mastery as its rural counterpart. The event attracts the best "pitmasters" from around the country who showcased their regional BBQ styles. Admission to the event is free, and food was just $8 per plate--but enjoying delicious BBQ among the Manhattan skyline is priceless! Visit BigAppleBBQ.org for more information.

Smoke On the Mountain

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The mountain town of Galax, Virginia—known as the capital of Bluegrass Music—is hosting its annual barbecue championship beginning July 15th. Categories of competition vary for the two-day event and include Patio Porkers (for amateur locals only) and a team competition for meat categories including whole hog, ribs and pork shoulder. Visit SmokeOnTheMountainInVA.com for more information.

I Love Barbecue Festival

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Three days of food-friendly contests and events will return to Lake Placid, New York, starting July 2nd. Cook-off highlights include The Midnight Grilling Bash, in which teams compete in chicken, NY strip steak, sausage and pizza categories, and The Best Ribs in the East, in which cooks sells two ribs for $3 and a winner is chosen by the public. In addition to the culinary competitions, festival guests can enjoy a variety of live musical performances. Visit ILBBQF.com for more information.

Blue Ridge BBQ & Musical Festival

Harmon Field in Tryon, North Carolina, is the home of this annual food and music festival. This year's event started on Friday June 10th and featured a center stage, which showcased a variety of blues, bluegrass and folk bands. Next year, don't miss Hog Heaven, the festival's pork-cooking contest, judged by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. Visit BlueRidgeBBQFestival.com for more information.

Tennessee Funfest

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What started out as a small fundraising event in Memphis, Tennessee, has become one of the region's biggest BBQ competitions—with all proceeds going to the Alzheimer's Association of the Mid-South. At last year's festival, the featured affair was the Tennessee State Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, which involved 200 judges and 13 judging categories, including whole hog, beef and seafood, along with non-BBQ food categories, such as red beans & rice, sauce and bloody mary cocktails. The festival also included carnival rides and live musical performances. Although this year the festival has been canceled, we look forward to next year! Visit TNFunFest.com for more information.

MO Blues Cruise & Barbecue

This annual festival is one of the Sedalia Lions Club's major fundraising events, raising nearly $10,000 each year—a sum that's distributed to various charities, as well as hearing and sight preservation programs. This year's party started on Friday, June 17th, in Sedalia, Missouri, and included a beer garden, food court and live musical performances; Saturday was dedicated to the cooking competitions and a car show. The festival wrapped up with the Kansas City Barbecue Society and People's Choice Awards Banquet, where the year's big winners were announced. Visit MOBluesandBBQ.com for more information.

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Great Southern Tailgate Cookoff

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Amelia Island's second annual barbecue competition will kick off on August 26th, when professional teams will compete for over $20,000 in cash and prizes. In addition to finger licking good food, attendees can enjoy live music, arts and crafts, a bean bag toss competition and a volleyball tournament. Visit GSTailgateCookoff.com for more information.

National Capital Barbecue Battle

Each summer, Washington, DC, hosts a spectacular BBQ event along historic Pennsylvania Avenue. The event line-up includes a BBQ Battle (with over $40,000 in cash prizes), the Safeway BBQ Sampling Pavilion (where guests can enjoy celebrity chef offerings), musical performances and merchandise stands. The two-day event begins on June 25th and all admission fees are donated to charity. Visit BBQDC.com for more information.

Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival

We can't think of a better way to finish off a tasty selection of barbecued meats than with a fresh peach dessert. In Kennesaw, Georgia, you can do just that at the annual Pigs & Peaches BBQ festival, which kicks off on August 26th. Cooking contests include the Backyard BBQ for amateurs, the Peach Dessert for bakers and the Georgia State Championship for professional BBQers. Festival attendees can also visit the play area for the kids, unique vendor booths and sponsor exhibits. Visit Kennesaw-GA.gov for more information.